We have been billing separately nerve blocks for surgical procedures using the following guidelines:

1. Separate procedure from surgery
2. separate area then surgery
3. done by a different physician
4. different specialty fro the surgeon
5. separate procedure note
6. separate anesthesia from surgery
7. billed on separate claim form
8. add modifier 59 and list ICD-10 G89.18 first for DX codes

I am not getting push back from our coding company stating that it is CCI edits and you cannot unbundle or bill separately.

Even though AMA guidelines and ASA state you can unbundle and bill just not to Medicare.

Thought – comments